“America is the land of freedom and that’s the way I enjoy living.” — John Wayne
I’m going to preface this with my usual I don’t get into politics in my blog, but I’m not here to talk about politics. I’m here to talk about America. I am the son of a United States Marine and a U.S. Navy Sailor. I also served for 23 years in the U.S. Navy. I have two uncles, my brother and sister-in-law who served in the Marines, my grandfather, another uncle, and a cousin who served in the Navy. Add to that my family history with the military from the Revolutionary War through World War II, and you can understand where my love of country comes from. It was taught into me since I was a kid, and it’s something I passed onto my own children as well.
It saddens me to see my country degrade into the state we’re in right now. I’m not going to talk about being liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican, but rather about being an American. People in politics, the media, and all across this country talk about it as if it’s a bad word. Why? Why is being an American so bad?
People say we live in a “fascist state” because of our president. Really? I always ask this question of those who call our country terrible and evil: If America is such a bad place, then why is everyone trying to get here and become a U.S. citizen. One word… Freedom.
How would you like the government telling you how to dress, style your hair, or what music you can listen to? In Iran, men cannot sport certain hair styles other than what is prescribed in Islam. Women are not allowed to go out in public unless they adhere to certain dress codes, such as covering their head in hijab and avoiding skinny jeans. Western music such as jazz, rock, and rap are strictly prohibited.
How would you like the government controlling your phone and internet access or telling journalists what to say? In Syria, communications through mobile and landline phones and internet access are significantly limited. Syrian journalists who act against the government are tortured or, worse, end up dead.
Better yet, how would you like the government to tell you how to worship in whatever religion you practice? Situated above the Horn of Africa is the small country of Eritrea. There, no one is allowed to perform public worship and one has to apply as a member to a certain sect before they can be allowed to practice their faith.
Do you see my point? We have a Bill of Rights which guarantees all of these rights to the people. That’s what makes America great. Sure, it’s not perfect… What country is? We have to make it the best we can, but we can only do that together. Remember, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall!”
That’s what makes America worth celebrating on the 4th of July. It’s not because we’re fascists or racists. It’s because we’re Americans and proud of it. So have a party, dance the night away, watch some fireworks, and thank a veteran while you’re at it. Have a Happy 4th of July!
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Mark Piggott is the author of the Forever Avalon book series. Forever Avalon is available for purchase as a book/ebook at Amazon. The Dark Tides is available for purchase as a book/ebook at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iUniverse publishing. The Outlander War, Book Three of the Forever Avalon series is coming soon.
“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.” — Bruce Lee
“Enter the Dragon” is by far his most popular movie, and my favorite too. Of all the kung fu movies ever made, this one is a masterpiece. I think I like it the most because it was the first, and only movie, that Bruce Lee acted in English. He really was a great actor. Plus, you can’t compare the fight scenes in it with movies like “The Matrix” or “John Wick” because they did it without the wire work or special effects. It was all Bruce Lee.
Most people would look forward to Saturdays because it meant the weekend, a day off, etc. Me… I look forward to Saturdays because that’s when the new episodes of “My Hero Academia” and “Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online” (GGO) air via Funimation and Crunchyroll, my two favorite anime channels! It’s like having my favorite Saturday Morning Cartoons like when I was a kid. These anime’s have heart, soul, and can be funny as hell. It’s amazing as to how entrenched I get into these shows, especially My Hero Academia.
On the opposite spectrum is GGO. Sword Art Online was the first modern anime I fell in love with, especially the GGO section in SAO2. The new GGO has so much more spunk than the original. The little “pink devil” known as Llenn is a munchkin with an attitude. In real life, she is a tall teenager, wanting to be shorter like the other girls her age. She gets her wish in the virtual world of GGO. There she meets another female player, Pito, who she finds out has a death wish she’s trying to fulfill.
Believe it or not, I started writing by writing poetry. In high school, I was part of the Poetry Club and helped edit and printed out our annual poetry magazine. I must admit, though, I am a terrible poet. My rhymes were more nonsensical than practical or what most would seem acceptable prose. Though I haven’t written any since then, I still have an appreciation for it.
Recently, another of my anime obsessions has led me to the “Fate” series (Fate/Zero. Fate/Stay Night, and Fate/Apocrphya). There are more than these three in the series, but that’s all I’ve watched so far. It’s not just the intricate storylines, the fast-paced fighting, or the beautiful animation that drew me in. As a fantasy writer, the heroic spirits are what truly facinated me.
One of my favorites of this series was the reimagined Frankenstein monster. She (yes, I said “she”) was a beautiful creature with immense power. When I first saw her, I did not even think Frankenstein, and yet there are incredible subtleties within this character that you don’t expect. She doesn’t speak, except in grunts and groans. She wields a lightning mace (that resembles the equipment from Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory) that can release an electrical strike that can wipe out a forest. There are unusual attachments on her head, incuding something resembling a unicorn horn, that’s almost “steampunk” in nature. Yet, through all this power and ferocity (she is a Bezerker class) there is a delicate child inside. In one scene, she sits in a field, looking at flowers, reminding me of the monster from the movie, and yet, I don’t see the monster. And neither did her master. She was, at times, breathtaking.
First things first, this is going to be somewhat SPOILER FREE, though I doubt that’s necessary. After opening weekend, with more than $630 million at the worldwide box office, I doubt most of the secrets are out. I will be cautious in my review, but there will be some snippets of juicy information. You have been warned.
There were plenty of other surprises in this movie that tied back to all 18 previous films. It was incredible to watch and kept me on the edge of my seat: Spider-man in his “Iron Spider” armor, complete with retractable legs, Iron Man’s “Bleeding Edge” nano-tech armor, finding out a certain Captain America is STILL ALIVE, and of course, Nick Fury’s return and the tease for Captain Marvel. It was all a comic book geek’s wet dream (apologize for the vernacular, but it’s quite accurate).
The Death of Captain Marvel (1982) — Jim Starlin created the first Marvel “graphic novels” with this masterpiece bringing about the death of one of Marvel’s beloved characters. Although there have been others to call themselves Captain Marvel, including a new movie coming out with Bree Larson as the titular character, Mar-Vell was the original. After discovering he’s dying of cancer, Mar-Vell takes his final journey by taking on his nemesis, Thanos. as he heads into the afterlife. This is not only a classic comic, but a great glimpse into the psyche of Thanos and his obsession with death. It’s also a glance into the cosmic universe side of Marvel and into the love given from the entire roll call of the Marvel universe to the original Captain Marvel.
The Infinity Gauntlet (1991) — The majority of the Infinity War movie is based on this Marvel mini-series from 1991. After Mistress Death brings Thanos back from the dead, she orders him to eliminate half the universe, to correct what she calls a cosmic unbalance. To do this, Thanos decides he needs the six infinity stones to complete the task. Collecting the stones, he begins to not only wipe out half the universe, but to take over all of eternity as well. This is the quintessential comic that has the ENTIRE backstory you need, from the infinity stones, his obsession with death, the gathering of heroes, EVERYTHING. There are even scenes from the comics that will be seen (and have already been seen in the trailers) from the comics. You will be more than prepared for this movie , even if you just read this one comic.
Infinity (2013) — The main thing you’re going to find in this series is the villains that are supporting Thanos… The Black Order. The story behind Thanos searching for his Inhuman son, the destruction of Attilan, the release of the Terrigen Mist across the Earth is all inconsequential. The Black Order are the ones you’ll be interested in. Proxima Midnight, Corvis Glaive, Cul Obsidian (Black Dwarf in the comics) and Ebony Maw are his powerful and mysterious lieutenants, doing Thanos’ bidding without question. You’ll also see the Outriders, Thanos’ army (which appear in the battle of Wakanda scene in the trailer) and learn about them and their abilities. Again, you have to ignore the back story and just read it to learn about the Black Order. It will also give you a glimpse into something we may see more of down the road in the MCU… The Illuminati!
Mark Piggott | Fantasy & Steampunk Author 